Will thwart Centre's bid to turn farm protest into Shaheen Bagh: BKU

Ghazipur: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday asserted that they would thwart all attempts of the Centre to turn the ongoing protest by farmers into "violence that followed anti-CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh" and other areas in Delhi in February.

"The Union government wants to make the Nirankari Maidan at Burari as a flashpoint for another re-run of the violent anti-CAA protests in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh area in February. We will not let the government succeed in its attempt," Tikait told IANS.

"If we reach the Burari ground, we will be accused of planning a protest similar to the Shaheen Bagh. We will not allow a repeat of the anti-CAA protests incidents with our farmers," Tikait added.

Several farmer leaders from western Uttar Pradesh led by BKU leader Tikait will soon lead a convoy of Uttar Pradesh farmers at Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in east Delhi to participate in the protest against the three central farm laws.

The farmers from western UP plan to march in solidarity with the protesting farmers from Punjab and Haryana in the national Capital.

He said that the situation will be clear by Sunday afternoon as for their strategy. "A meeting is going on across the Singhu border on this issue; the central government must listen to our demands." Tikait said: "Why does the Union government want to meet the farmers at the Nirankari Maidan? If they want to hold a dialogue, they can directly meet our farmer leaders and talk to them."

SFJ annouces $1million aid for agitating farmers

As thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are rallying at Delhi's three interstate border points, banned secessionist group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) is trying to fish in troubled waters by announcing $1 million aid for farmers who suffered injuries or damage to their vehicles while facing police action in Haryana.

The information has sent security agencies into a tizzy, with many deployed on protest spots in plainclothes to keep a close tab on SFJ supporters who may mingle with protesters as part of their "ill-intention" to lure innocent farmers and take undue advantage of the situation in the name of helping them.

In its recent announcement through a social media platform, the SFJ said it will provide $1 million aid to farmers from "Punjab and Haryana who have suffered bodily injuries or damage to their vehicles while facing police action during their hard-fought journey to Delhi". The SFJ's message mentions its plan for opening a 24-hour call centre on November 30 in the US, Canada, the UK, France and Germany to accept online applications from farmers of Punjab and Haryana to reimburse for their losses and also to register votes for its "Khalistan Referendum". "SFJ is kick-starting the Khalistan Referendum voting from London on August 15, 2021 for the independence of Punjab," mentions the message circulated by SFJ's US-based General Counsel and group's key leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun -- designated a terrorist by the Indian government.